News / Fiji
Strike for a hike
Workers in the State-owned Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) win a significant victory, after they struck work to demand improved wages and working conditions.
This article has been compiled from various sources, including media releases from NGOs, Pacific Network on Globalization (PANG) (pang@connect.com.fj) and Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA).
About 350 workers struck work at the State-owned Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO), on the island of Levuka on 4 August 2003. The strike was to demand improved wages and working conditions. The workers, mainly indigenous women, were amongst the lowest paid in Fiji, earning about US$42 per week, wages well below poverty line. Over the past eight years, there had been a string of arbitration rulings ordering the company to improve pay and working conditions, but both the government and the employer had appealed these decisions.
These include arbitration rulings in 1996 by former Permanent Arbitrator and Judge of the High Court, high chief Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, and in April this year, by Arbitrator G.P. Lala. There has also been a High Court judgement in January 2002 in the workers’ favour. However, PAFCO’s only response was to drag the matter back to court.
To support the cause of the workers, two NGOs, the Pacific Network on Globalization (PANG) and the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy, called for an international consumer boycott of PAFCO products. They urged consumers not to buy PAFCO products with labels such as Sun Bell, Koro Sea, Ovalau Blue and Old Capital Special. They also planned to launch an overseas campaign to boycott Bumble Bee’s products, which include the Bumble Bee and Clover Leaf brand labels.
It is worth noting that PAFCO underwent a significant overhaul in 2000 after Bumble Bee, North America’s largest canned seafood company, signed on as a strategic partner. Bumble Bee has a seven-year agreement with PAFCO for the processing of 30,000 tonnes of tuna loins a year.
The strike was finally resolved after nearly two months, on 24 September 2003, after Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) agreed to pay out an additional FJD$2 million (US$1 million) annually in wages. Unskilled workers are now to receive a new hourly rate of FJD$2.75 (US$1.50) and skilled workers of FJD$3.50 (US$1.90). The company claims that, with this new deal, workers here will be among the highest paid in the industry and in any developing country.
